About Lathyrus jepsonii Greene
Lathyrus jepsonii is a species of wild pea with the common names delta tule pea and Jepson's pea. It is endemic to California, growing in a variety of habitat types including forest and estuary. This species is a perennial herb with a long, winged stem that climbs using branched, coiled tendrils. Its leaves are composed of several pairs of lance-shaped leaflets. The plant produces an inflorescence holding up to 15 pink or purplish flowers, each up to 2 centimeters wide. Its fruit is a hairless, dehiscent legume pod. There are two recognized varieties of this species. Lathyrus jepsonii var. californicus is a smaller plant that is sometimes hairy. Lathyrus jepsonii var. jepsonii is a rare, hairless variety that can grow over two meters in height. This variety grows in the estuary habitat of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, which is the origin of the common name delta tule pea.
